Democrats and Republicans hold Black History Month celebrations with an eye on November's election

Black History Month, often a time to recognize the contributions of African Americans in U.S. history, was marked in the nation’s capital this week with a focus on present divides and the November election when Black turnout will be integral to the outcome.

At the White House, the Biden administration (on Tuesday)hosted more than two dozen family members of civil rights icons and major historical figures for a gala celebrating Black history. Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance where she praised the families and recounted the administration's commitment to Black communities.

A few hours later, Republicans held a reception in Washington's U Street neighborhood, a key part of Black history in the city, to celebrate former GOP officials and activists who have engaged Black voters.

The White House has taken Black History Month as an opportunity to highlight the administration's efforts on priorities such as education, voting rights, and jobs. Republicans see a chance to win more votes from a core Democratic constituency, noting President Joe Biden's lower popularity with Black adults and the criticism he has taken for inflation and his handling of the border.

Biden’s approval rating among Black adults was 42% in a January poll by the Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research, a substantial drop from the first year of his presidency.

Democrats are spotlighting Biden's support with civil rights stalwarts and lambasting Republicans for enacting policies restricting how educators discuss race and history in the classroom.

“We know that those who don’t remember their history are doomed to repeat it," said Democratic Rep. Terri Sewell to the families assembled at the White House. Sewell represents Selma, Alabama, where white police beat Black civil rights marchers in 1965 on a day remembered today as “Bloody Sunday.”